Affordability puts Byford streets ahead

Affordability puts Byford streets ahead - The West Australian

Only four Perth suburbs are on a list of Australia's most family-friendly neighbourhoods, with experts blaming high property prices for affecting livability.

The top 100 suburbs released yesterday by RP Data and Aussie Home Loans showed Byford was best in Perth and fourth nationally for family living.

It headed Floreat at 55, Forrestfield on 78 and Wanneroo at 86.

Aussie chief executive Ian Corfield said house prices mainly prevented more Perth suburbs making the list and were relatively expensive in national terms.

"Block sizes compared with other States are simply not big enough to knock out the fact that the prices are much higher," Mr Corfield said.

"For a family deciding where to live in Australia, Perth is a place where you'd pay relatively high prices for what you are getting."

RP Data research director Tim Lawless said the top-ranked Perth suburbs were in the more affordable south-east rather than close to the city or beaches.

More than 3800 Australian suburbs were analysed, with rankings based on factors including house prices, block size, average number of bedrooms and nearby amenities.

Byford, in Serpentine-Jarrahdale Shire, has a median house price of $439,000 for an average 3.7 bedrooms on 1100sqm.

Shire president Keith Ellis said the area had a 25 per cent increase in population and a 64 per cent rise in young families in the past three years. It offered an enviable rural lifestyle with city convenience.